The Philippine government held an extraordinary meeting yesterday after Taipei lodged a protest over the deportation to China of 14 Taiwanese allegedly involved in an international fraud ring, a Taiwanese government official said on condition of anonymity, adding that Taiwan would monitor how Manila handles the matter.
The Philippine government has yet to respond formally to the protest made by Taipei on Wednesday, including a strongly worded statement that Taiwan could re-examine bilateral relations and suspend exchanges over the controversy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent a letter of protest to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.
Deputy Representative of the Philippines in Taipei Carlo Aquino apologized to Taiwan when he was summoned by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Shen Ssu-tsun (沈斯淳) on Wednesday afternoon, ministry deputy spokesman Steve Shia (夏季昌) told the Taipei Times by telephone.
Philippine Representative to Taiwan Antonio Basilio returned to Manila on Wednesday morning to deal with the matter, Shia said.
Basilio had been summoned to meet foreign ministry officials before he left and was clearly aware of Taiwan’s position that the Philippines had no right to deport the 14 Taiwanese to China, Shia said.
The Taiwanese, along with 10 Chinese, were arrested on Dec. 27 in Manila on suspicion of swindling NT$600 million (US$20.6 million) through a scam that largely targeted Chinese.
Approached for comment yesterday, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said the Philippines had ignored international practice by extraditing the Taiwanese to China and had shown “disrespect” to Taiwan by “failing to cherish the friendship between the two countries.”
Wu said he had asked the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Straits Exchange Foundation to negotiate with China to ensure the return of the Taiwanese to Taipei.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused the government of cowardice, accused China of making an outrageous demand and said the deportation was deplorable.
The DPP statement demanded the government look into possible neglect by Taiwan’s diplomats leading to the extradition and that it do everything in its power to ensure the 14 return to Taiwan as soon as possible.
Taipei was not active enough in its negotiations with Manila over the matter, the DPP said, adding that asking the council to handle the mater by seeking Beijing’s assistance would turn a diplomatic matter involving two countries into a cross-strait one.
The DPP called on Manila to appreciate the sensitivity of the matter and refrain from playing into Beijing’s hands.
The deportation shows that the government’s pro-Beijing policy has led other countries to conclude that Beijing has right of governance over Taiwan, the DPP said.
“How can the government protect its people when its failure in diplomacy has eroded the country’s sovereignty to such an extent that [China now has] extraterritorial rights?” the DPP said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old